The Congress party has put forth a condition to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government’s Triple Talaq Bill. According to All India Mahila Congress president Sushmita Dev, if the government includes the provision of remuneration to the victims, the opposition party will support the bill.

She, however, added that the government was indulging in trade on the issue, pointing at Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, asking him to support triple talaq bill along with the Women’s Reservation Bill.

According to Sushmita Dev, the Congress was never against the triple talaq bill, but the present form of it is not favourable for Muslim women. She said that there must be a provision to provide remuneration to the victims.

Sushmita Dev had submitted an amendment to the bill in Lok Sabha, but it could not be passed. She said that if the government makes the amendment, the Congress will definitely support the bill.

“The purpose of the bill is to give justice to Muslim women and end the practice of triple talaq. But if the husband is sent to jail, how will the wife earn her livelihood.

Recently, Rahul Gandhi had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, offering unconditional support for the Women’s Reservation Bill. Reacting to it, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad wrote a letter to the Congress president, offering a “new deal” to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill along with the bills opposing triple talaq and nikah halala. Prasad had also questioned why the previous UPA government did not pass the Women’s Reservation Bill for three years even as the then opposition BJP had supported the same.